The present invention relates to a medicament dispensing device and more particularly a medicament dispensing device having means for discouraging an individual from taking an overdose of said medicament.
All medicaments, whether over the counter medicaments such as aspirin or the like or prescribed medicaments such as barbiturates or the like, are capable of killing if abused and taken in overdose levels. Generally these medicaments are in the hands of stable individuals and therefore there is little fear of an overdose situation. However, even in these situations there is the chance that children, teenagers, unstable relatives, visitors or the like may get their hands on these medicaments with the result being a fatal accident.
A more dangerous situation arises when it is necessary for a physician to prescribe powerful medicaments to patients who are emotionally depressed and unstable. This is especially true in the area of psychiatry where the likelihood of the patient to take an overdose is greatly increased. As a result of this increased risk factor it behooves the physician and pharmacist, both from a moral and legal standpoint, to prescribe and dispose medicaments to such patients in a wise and cautious manner.
In addition to the foregoing, it would be desirous to dispense all medicaments, whether over the counter or prescribed, in a device which would discourage the taker from taking an overdose of the medicaments. In order to encourage drug manufacturers and packagers to dispense their medicaments in such a device it is necessary that the device be economical to manufacture and thereby add little to the overall cost of the medicaments. In addition to the cost factor, a further requirement is that the dispensing device have sufficient strength and integrity to discourage undesired entry thereof.
Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a medicament dispensing device having means for discouraging an individual from taking an overdose of the medicament.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a throwaway medicament dispensing device which is inexpensive to manufacture.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a medicament dispensing device which is of sufficient strength and integrity so as to discourage undesired entry thereof.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description.